Destined for Greatness
by SilentMorning'sVoice
Summary: Lucius tells Draco the truth about the Malfoys forgotten past. 'So...we protected the muggles', he looked up into his father's eyes, 'we defended the weak.' I might make it a Dhr but I'm not sure. what'd you think DxHr or DxOC?
1. A Matter of Honor

**Destined for Greatness**

Chapter I

A Matter of Honor

The great doors of the manor were opened and a countless number of upper-class people gracefully swept through in an inaudible array of laughter and chattering. Their fake smiles being shared as they greeted one another, and their idle methods of small talk; their garish dances and stuffy appearances.

Lucius Malfoy greeted his guests with a firm handshake and a plastered grin. Narcissa, his wife, stood beside him and in turn, greeted with her grace and elegance all those who passed by her.

The room smelt of perfumes, fine wines, and pipe weed. The older, more composed members stood near the sides of the dance floor, where, the younger less serene couples danced carelessly.

Some of the gentlemen sat at tables where they smoked their pipes and talked in boring tones. Every now and then, one of them would come up with something extremely boorish to say.

Lucius continued to greet his guests, and ever so often he'd analyze the room as if searching for something. Narcissa would raise a finely arched eyebrow at his gestures and then he'd glance at her briefly before returning his attention to the guest he was greeting. It was not long, though, till Narcissa realized what it was he was earnestly searching for.

"Where is our son, Lucius?" she asked in her well-collected, gentle voice.

Lucius eyed her in a way that confirmed that the person in question was the one whom he was seeking to find.

Narcissa touched him lightly on his broad shoulder before gracefully walking away from his side to find their son.

She strode up the staircase in a well-dignified manner.

.

Meanwhile, Draco Malfoy sat lazily in a chair positioned in his bed chamber. He was twirling a coin between his thumb and forefinger, while slightly tapping his foot to the faint rhythm of the music several stories beneath where he sat.

He had no desire to attend another of his parents' meaningless parties; he despised them immensely. All those phony, pompous beings, bringing their nonchalant, endless conversations, which bored him to no end.

Being wealthy came at a price, he reasoned, with everyone desiring nothing less than to be right up in your face wanting to know all the latest happenings in your life.

He blew a piece of hair from his eyes, which was to no avail as it only reassumed its previous position.

They were all like deceiving serpents, hiding behind a mask of pleasantness, though, all the while possessing the intention of destroying your reputation. Was this humanity; greed and selfish desires? No this couldn't be; this was so empty and unfulfilling.

Draco flipped the coin into the air and caught it without averting his eyes. He felt the smoothness of its surface, and the coldness if it's touch.

Money, this was what so many toiled after; what so many died and sacrificed for.

He observed the gold, shimmering within the light; its radiance and shining appearance casting a glimmer within his eyes.

It was merely an inanimate, material object, which brought so many people happiness. Well, not true happiness, perhaps satisfaction is a more appropriate word.

Draco flung the coin behind him and heard its "Clink" as it came in forceful contact with the hardwood flooring. He wasn't saying that being wealthy didn't please him, it pleased him greatly; but, rather, he was merely concluding that money shouldn't be placed at such a high value that, on occasion, it be considered more valuable than the life of another human being.

He believed it ridiculous to kill another over something that could be simply earned. The only way to be truly happy with something is to earn it.

"Draco, darling, are you in here?"

Draco turned his head to the sophisticated voice of his mother, thus acknowledging her presence.

"I'm here, mother," he answered almost monotonously, while turning his head back to its previous position.

He heard her soft footsteps enter the room and the sound of her glamorous gown as she approached him.

"Why don't you join your father and I?"

Draco shifted slightly in his seat and turned to look upon the face of the woman, whom he had come to admire greatly.

"Because, I do not wish to."

Narcissa sighed and knelt beside her son, "Why would you not wish it? It dishonors your father. Are you aware of this, my son?" she said looking up at his flawless face, which was an inheritance she was proud of.

Draco looked into his mother's gentle eyes and proceeded to answer her simple chide.

"I do on wish to attend because I despise it, you know this, mother. Those people down there have no more right to be here than the mudbloods at Hogwarts." He paused briefly to steady his rising voice, "and I furthermore, fail to see how the absence of my presence will dishonor father, as you say it will." He blinked slowly, "I do not see it as a matter of honor."

Narcissa raised a delicate hand and placed it over her sons, "Draco, it _is_ a matter of honor."

"Honor for them? Those false people? ...They deserve no such honor from us." Draco calmly retorted.

Narcissa shook her head and slightly tightened the grip she had on her sons hand; she looked up into his eyes, which resembled so much his fathers. She looked into them sternly.

"No, not honor for them, honor for you, honor for us, honor for our family."

Draco stared into her intense gaze for several fleeting moments. Until he brought his free hand over hers and caressed her soft skin gently. He gave her an understanding smile. If this was important to her and his father, than he would certainly not disappoint them, and, with great reluctance, he stood and took his mothers arm.

"Come on then, I do not wish to bring dishonor, though, I don't quite understand what affect it would have if I did not attend."

Mrs. Malfoy patted his arm, "One day you will, my son. One day you will."

.

The pair strode with pride down the grand staircase to join the many guests waiting. Draco eyed them with contempt, but hid it with a forced smile. They all appeared pleased to see him in their midst, but, he saw past their thick masks; their lying eyes and treacherous smiles.

"Go and greet your father, son." Narcissa urged him.

Draco nodded and gave her a tender kiss on the cheek, "of course, mother."

He then left her to stand beside his father.

"Evening, father," he greeted warmly.

Lucius nodded and gave him a strong handshake, "evening, Draco. I'm pleased to see that you have decided to join us."

He flashed a brief, grateful smile in his wife's direction, who returned it. Draco observed this affectionate exchange and all his previous regrets of emerging from his room were diminished. He had made his parents proud, thus he'd given them something they had deserved.

"This must be your charming son, Draco." A woman beside Lucius inquired.

Lucius nodded and turned to Draco. "This is Mrs. Emblefin, and she is a very _respectable _woman." He had emphasized the word respectableto provide Draco with a helpful hint at to what his next course of action should be.

Draco caught on and turned to the elegantly dressed woman before him, "an honor to meet you," he said smoothly then bowing low and taking her hand in his. He placed a small kiss on her fragile hand, and then straightened as the lady eyed him with approval.

"Very fine boy you have, Lucius."

Lucius bowed gratefully and then turned to join another group. Draco followed suit and greeted person as best he could, though all the time feeling that they deserved no such attention from him.

The night was bore to the younger Malfoy, as he made himself known to guest after guest, and each one being similar in false behavior and standards.

They would eye him with approval as if they actually thought he felt their opinion mattered. As if it was something he sought after.

These were not the sort of people he sought admiration from. They didn't really care about him, only accepted him into their little affairs and bothers for even attending. They were the ones that were seeking after acceptance, not he.

"Do you dance, lad?" an elderly Gentlemen presently inquired of him.

Draco eyed him slowly before replying with a gentle nod. "I do, sir."

He observed the delight that suddenly crossed the man's features, "Excellent!" He said with a jolly grin, "and may I have the pleasure of introducing you to my daughter?"

Draco was about to reply but closed his mouth as he saw the man had already summoned her over.

"This is my daughter, Melinda."

Draco, not knowing what else to do, bowed and placed a brief kiss on her hand, "a true pleasure to meet you, indeed." He said politely, though not to sure he had truthfully meant his words.

He straightened and examined the young woman. She was smiling, though, hardly and genuinely, and her dark eyes seemed as if they masked some hidden truth behind them. She was the same as the others, he decided.

Then he noticed the expectancy in her father's eyes, and concluded that he wished for him to dance with his daughter.

"If you will, excuse me." Draco smiled vaguely, then turned and stood beside his parents.

"Have you enjoyed yourself at all?" His mother asked him in an exquisitely subtle voice.

Draco caught her eye in such a way that thus relayed he desired to be anywhere than where he currently was.

Narcissa nodded knowingly, "Well, not much longer, darling."

Draco gave her a relieved smile.


	2. The forgotten Legacy

**Destined for Greatness**

Chapter II

The Forgotten Legacy

Later on that evening, as Narcissa and Lucius conveyed their final goodbyes, Draco was slowly walking down the corridor towards his bed chambers.

It was exhausting to take on all the etiquette and manners which were required of him. How did his parents do it all the time? And…why? Those people were not worth it.

He had to pretend around them; he had to pretend he was pleased to see them, though all the while he was desperately trying to restrain himself from completely lashing out on one of them.

He, very unceremoniously, fell onto his bed and positioned his arms comfortably behind his head.

Suddenly he caught the sound of footsteps outside his door and quickly shifted his position to make himself appear asleep. He closed his eyes as the door opened and a flood of light poured in.

A figure swept over to him, or rather two, and observed his supposedly sleeping form.

"He is already asleep, my dear." He heard his mother whisper.

This was followed by a reply from his father, "yes, well I wad hoping to have had the privilege to talk to him about this evening."

"That can be resolved in the morning. Now, come Lucius, sleep."

Draco heard their footsteps depart from his room, and then opened his eyes when he heard the sound of the door being closed.

He had no desire for their questioning at the moment, so he congratulated himself for his cunningness on avoiding them.

Then, sighing, he turned on his side and looked out the open window, where the softest of spring breezes swept in.

His golden hair was gently danced about with it, and his storm-like eyes reflected the stars in the night sky. The moon cast an effervescent light upon his features, making his skin appear even more soft and smooth.

Now, as he eyed the stars with a wondrous glint, a flawless smile found its way across his face. His thoughts had averted to what his mother had always told him as a child.

"You see those stars?" she would ask him.

"I do mother."

"They stand out in the darkness; they are great in the heavens they reside in, just as you are great in the family you belong to."

"I am?"

"Yes. You see, Draco, you are named after those stars, because you are destined for greatness, just as they are great."

"Mother, when will I know when I am great?" would come his tiny innocent voice.

"Son, you will know when you are remembered in generations to come."

"How do I become great?"

"You will achieve greatness through honor, chivalry, loyalty, and respect."

….Draco blinked slowly as he continued to gaze up at the starry constellation from which he was named. He had always desired greatness, and dearly wished to achieve it.

He used to believe that because he was in the Malfoy family, that he would be great without having to obtain it. However, like most things, he learned that he had to earn it., and that it only depended on him, not his family.

"Draco, are you awake?"

Draco eyes widened as he heard the voce of his father. What was he doing in here? He had just left!

"Draco?" Lucius repeated as he stepped around the bed.

Draco quickly closed his eyes, but Lucius was not easily fooled.

"I know you are awake, son."

Draco sighed and opened his eyes to see the face of his father, peering down at him.

Lucius set the candle he was holding on the small table beside Draco's bed.

"Your mother told me what you said about attending the gathering this evening."

Draco nodded, "I don't understand how it's a matter of honor." He looked up at his father, "surely you are not pleasured by their company."

Lucius nodded to confirm Draco's accusation. "No, I am not pleasured by them, but, what you have to understand is that not all of them come here to ruin your reputation. Some can't be trusted, true, but some can."

"How can you tell who can be trusted?" Draco asked almost desperately.

Lucius smiled at his son's own ignorance, "You just can, and by the way they look at you, by their manner of speaking to you."

Draco shook his head, "but, they're all so…fake; as if wearing some invisible mask."

"Well, do you not act fake as well, Draco? Are you not also wearing a mask?" Lucius questioned.

Draco's mouth snapped shut as he was suddenly at a loss for words. He hadn't even thought of it in that light before. He had always been a bit self-absorbed, yes, and it blinded him from the truth.

Lucius knelt down and placed his hand firmly on Draco's shoulder, "You see, Draco, we are not the only ones concerned with honor."

"But…what does it have to do with honor?"

Lucius sighed, "You come from a great family, Draco, and we uphold our ancient honor by associating with those others in our class, even some of the less deserving people.

Draco nodded and lifted himself into a sitting position.

"What," he glanced up at his father, "were our ancestors like?"

Lucius nodded slowly, "It's probably time to tell you."

Draco rested his elbows on his knees and folded his hands out in front of him. He then listened to the man he had always looked up to.

"Well," Lucius began, "The Malfoy's ancestry dates way back, too far back for known records, but the earliest known family was part of a tribal people in Ireland. They were not only a family though, they soon became like their own origin of people.

It wasn't long 'til they began to discover their magical powers." He paused before continuing, as Draco listened with an unfaltering gaze.

"Other people noticed their so-called divine powers and even at one time worshiped them believing them to be some sort of gods and-"

"So we were the first Wizards then?" Draco interrupted.

"Yes, and we are supposedly the most powerful." Lucius said with a nod, "but, anyway, eventually the Malfoy merged into France, where the name "_Malfoi_" is originated from. They were accepted by the king, and he held them in the highest honor.

Then, on one fateful day, there was a conspiracy to have this king murdered, and it was the Malfoy who saved him. So, from that day on, the Malfoy swore themselves to the protection of the king, the country, and of the people.

They were knights, warriors, faithful guardians. We were a sacred race, put here to protect the innocent. It was once our duty to protect the poor and the weak.

We were there in every battle to fight off the evil that would spread. However, presently men, on their nature, had come to believe the false rumor that the Malfoys were meaning to overthrow them, and they became afraid of out power.

By this time, there were other less-powerful Wizarding families, but, they outnumbered greatly, so the Malfoys fled and went into hiding, where their legacy was lost to all others than themselves.

It went into mere legend, and not too long after, we were forgotten by most of the world. That's when the four founders of Hogwarts came in, and the Malfoys became part of their now-called Wizarding world."

Lucius finished and cast a glance at Draco's awed expression.

"Now you know the truth, son, about our past."

Draco nodded slowly, "So…we protected the muggles." He looked up at his father, "We defended the weak."

Lucius nodded, "Yes, we were their guardians."

Draco was confused; he had always been brought up to despise those beneath his bloodlines.

Lucius sensed his son's confusion, "Times have changed, Draco."

Draco looked to the floor beneath his bare feet and sighed silently, whilst he ran a hand through his smooth hair. He could his heart pounding within his chest.

"Goodnight, son." Lucius said as he slowly rose and left Draco to ponder over everything he had just divulged to him.

Draco found that he could not speak, so he listened until his father closed his door behind him.

He felt a sudden nostalgic longing for the past. He reminisced over what his family once was. How had such a chivalrous, self-sacrificing people, become so part of darkness?

Draco felt his eyes glaze over with tears that threatened to fall; he hated what they had become, servants to some one whose ancestors his family had once protected. Voldemort should be down on hand and knee thanking him for his own existence!

He didn't know why, but it bothered him that his father had changed. He had liked to think of the muggles and mudbloods being beneath him, but now it just seemed as if he was betraying his legacy.

However, he did not possess the need to ask why this change had occurred; he already knew the cause.

It was hate, and revenge. The people, whom his ancestors had given their lives to protect, had betrayed them. Perhaps, this was the reason his father despised the muggles so. Was this why he had been taught to hate them? What honor was there in hatred and revenge?

Draco couldn't believe his own thoughts, but, somehow he didn't find it right to blame people for the mistakes of their ancestors. The muggle-born had no had in the betrayal, and yet they were being punished for the faults of those who came before them.

"What is happening to me?" whispered Draco.


End file.
